Hot August Nights

What a week. It is blistering hot and my air conditioning went out and my water heater is leaking plus I had a swarm of termites take over my living room. I have learned more than I want to about the pesky little critters in the last few days. I was especially upset since I had the house treated last year by Jeff Hiatt Inc. Luck was on my side in that did honor the warranty. The bad part is that they cannot come out and service my house for two weeks. So when in a crisis I called good old mom. She did have some suggestions. I went to OSH and purchased some termite spray and termite spikes and set off to stop the infestation. It looks like my measures have helped for the time being. I will still have the professionals come and spray for the wood eating critters. The air conditioner was fixed today (I did not need a new one) and my hot water heater was under warranty so it was replaced for the labor costs only.

Rethinking Retirement


More boomers choosing to work. According to a CNN article six in ten baby boomers intend to work after retirement. I was at a conference in Minnesota last week and when to retire and what to do after retirement seemed to be the major topics of conversation. About 3/4 of the people at the conference were 55 and older. Topics included: quitting before someone tells you to, (I call this retiring at the top of your game)and finding new interests when the time comes to re-direct your energies. Many of the wives were very concerned that their husbands would drive them crazy just hanging around the house. I have at least 6 years before I think of retiring but I am already refocusing my energies since my children are all out of the house. Keeping health in number one. Cooking healthy meals and exercising takes up a lot of time if you do it right. I donate a few days a month helping in an elementary school. I am thinking about joining a bible study and of course I am blogging.

Diaper Free Babies

An interesting phenomena! I must be old school but I had this sorta hands off policy on toilet training. The normal child "toilet trains" by about 3 years of age. My guidelines on toilet training are from the American Academy of Pediatrics. But there seems to be a new fad in toilet training. Diaper Free Babies is a growing fad in Massachusetts. "Parents who practice the so-called “elimination communication” learn to read their children’s body language to help them recognize the need, and they mimic the sounds that a child associates with the bathroom." Somehow I can't see holding a newborn over a sink to let them urinate. I was happy to see my 3 toilet trained by school age. (kindergarten not preschool) Trends come and go but somehow I did not have the energy with breast feeding, trying to sleep, and keeping little ones entertained. I think my two sons actually wore cloth diapers. It will be interesting to see what long term ramifications this trend has.

Unclaimed Properties

Los Angeles California - Owners of seized assets sought. The state contoller announced plans to overhaul the widely criticized way California has seized millions of dollars in unclaimed property. LA Times August 2007. About 5 years ago my son was playing around on his compter and went on a site for unclaimed property and found that I had some unclaimed stock money in Illinois (listed under my maiden name). I provided the proper documentation, current driver license, marriage certificate, college transcrips from Chicago etc and within 6 months received my check for over $4000. They actually had an office where a live person answered the telephone. While doing the search my husband found that the State of California owed him $1500. Despite submitting all the paper work the funds were never returned. Today I went on the web site provided for unclaimed properties and found the State of California owes my husband money but only 2 small check worth about$252.00. What happen to the $1500.00 from the last search?
If you have lived in other states it might be worth searching unclaimed assets. Good luck, this may just be your lucky day.

Iphone Bill

Or information overload. Some Ipod users got their first bills from AT&T and were shocked to see up to 30 pages of billing records. Not only is every telphone call recorded but every Internet access is recorded. I check my husbands AT&T bill and sure enough it is about 10 pages (both sides)filled with data. Of course the talented Iphone users have already posted a reply on YouTube. Justine Ezarik ecourages Ipone users to use e-billing and save a tree.

Drifting
My oldest son is an amazing individual. Since he was 17 years of age (11 years ago) he has been fascinated by cars. When he was a junior in high school my husband helped him to purchase a 1966 Chevelle. Since that time he has added a 1964 Chevelle and a 1994 Mustang to his collection. He can often be seen in the driveway working on one of the cars. I have had people stop by and ask what school he went to to learn about cars. (He has a degree in computer science.) No school taught him what he knows. (His grandfather worked at Ford Motor Company so maybe it is genetic.)He has always been a person who needs a project. About four years ago when he and his current wife were dating, he was working on one of the cars when she stated "When will you be done?" At that time I informed her that he will always have some car he will be working on. The video I have posted is about his passion for cars. The Mustang has been a labor of love. He is not the driver of the car, just the "grease monkey" fixing it.

Mr. Robinson Driving School

I was found this website Mr. Robinson Driving School It is absolutely hilarious. We have been out shopping for cars lately. Our fleet of cars has gotten a bit old. My daughter loves her new little Acura (She programed my telephone number into her car and can now call me with just a voice command). My son and new wife need a reliable car. He has three, but they do not all work at any given time. His wife has a ten year old Honda and wants something newer. This weekend we will do the rounds again. After this we should be done for awhile. It is interesting that all my kids pick cars for different reasons. The new cars have so many new features. GPS, blue tooth, Ipod connections etc. Apparently I do have blue tooth in my Infinity but of course I have not clue how to use it. I have just confiscated the Garmin GPS navigator to use in my car. I will keep you updated on my venture into the high tech with the use of the GPS.

A Reason to Listen to the Evacuation Instructions When Flying

It is amazing that no one was killed and all passengers survived. "China Airlines had a fire today. Luckily, no one was killed, and the only injury was first degree burns to a ground crew member. Pretty amazing considering the plane was on fire as the passengers were evacuating and the fuel tank exploded within 10 seconds of the last passenger exiting, and before the pilot exited." I just returned from the Midwest. We just missed the major storm approaching Minnesota. While the airline attendants were giving the little safety message I glanced around as always to see where my closest exit was. I even looked at the woman in front of me traveling with two small babies and thought she might need a little help. When I read the news this morning I reflected back to yesterday and said a little prayer of thanks. This is just an example of why we need to have experienced personal fying and serving the public on airplanes. Being a nurse it is like having that major emergency you practice for yearly happen on your shift. So next time you fly LISTEN to the instructions by the airline personal.

On the Road to Love...

For the past week we have been helping our daughter find a car. She had the misfortune to wreck her vehicle two weeks ago in a fender-bender. The search has been quite exhausting (Internet plus walking through blocks of car dealerships and driving the vehicles). As of yesterday it seems that she has decided on the Acura as the vehicle of choice. Today I found this article on line about who buys certain types of cars. On the Road to Love... When I read the article I decided the vehicle she picked fits her personality well. One quote that especially struck me was "I save when I can so I can splurge when I want." Sounds like my daughter, although since she just started working and saving we do need to help her financed the vehicle. The part I though was interesting was the Love style (according to the author): owner likes to talk about life, likes support, friendship and honesty are essential in a relationship. Sounds like my daughter.

Chicago's Hottest Hog Dogs

I am currently in Minnesota. One might ask what that has to do with Chicago Hot dogs. We took a direct flight from Los Angeles so we did not have a stop in the Chicago airport. If you are ever in Chicago you need to stop at one the many stands in the airport and have one of the famous dogs. If you are in the city you can follow the link Chicago's Hottest Hot Dogs and for about 6 dollars get a tasty dog. We have had very delicious meals while on this trip (Walleyed Pike a few times). I haven't been able to do my spinning class but did go on a bike trip the other day on a real bike. I calculated I did about 22 miles in about 2 1/2 hours. Yesterday I did a hike of about 2 to 4 miles (depending on who you ask in the group). At times it seemed like it was a scramble through the bushes (much of the trail seemed to have washed away)but we had fun and hopefully wore off a few calories. The first day at lunch they had hot dogs, hamburgers, and health chicken breasts and I west straight for the hot dog. To make a traditional Chicago hot dog at home. Chop up tomatoes, sweet onion, and pickles and top with mustard a little celery salt. NO Ketchup, ketchup is for the fries only.

US Troops save infant from war zone

I am determined to say out of the politics concerning the US involvement in the war in Iraq but todays story fills me with joy. A 9-month old girl is alive and well in an American military hospital. War has historically brought damage and death to citizens and it is uplifting to me to see that little miracles do happen. Article on from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Five Things You Must do to Age Beautifully

I am always looking for tips to slow the aging process. I diligently put on sunscreen as part of my morning make-up routine. I have numerous products I have tried over the years to hydrate the skin. I have occasionally watched the Oprah show and have read her magazine at the local beauty salon. The suggestions by Oprah are pretty simple. The only one I have not done is visit the dermatologist for an exfoliating alpha hydroxy peel. I do have a facial a few times a year. The next suggestion is a good haircut. I visit my hair stylist monthly to shape and color my hair as needed. The third suggestion to get enough sleep. Most of the time I do not have a problem with this but I am up blogging at 0452. The next suggestion, take good care of your teeth. Floss and brush and visit your dentist twice a year. I have never had my teeth professionally whitened but use Crest Whitestrips to reduce the staining. The last suggestion is good posture. I do workout and have added 15 minutes of weights to my work-out routine. I have seen a major difference in my upper body (arms). So there is hope for us boomers.

Serious Injuries Prompt Recall

Mattelis recalling Polly Pocket magnetic play sets. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a hazard aleert for the tiny magnets inside the dolls and accessories that can fall out of the dolls and accessories and be swallowed by young children. There have been 3 reports of children who swallowed the little magnets and have required surgery to remove the batteries. Full story of gastrointestinal injuries from magnet ingestion in children can be read on CDC website. The CPSC site highlighted above includes a list of the products being recalled. As my daughter was flying out the door this morning to go car shopping with her dad she paused to ask what I was blogging about this am, I told her about the Polly Pocket recall. She loved to play with them as a child. She said she did not remember the older version having the magnets. As boomers who may already have grandchildren please spread the word.

While the folks are away the cat does play!

After we remodeled our house for the fourth time I decided I needed to keep our cat out of the living room, so I went to Petco and purchased a cat fence to block off the entrance to the living room. You see our cat (or should I say my daughters cat) was purchased when she was in sixth grade. (She is now a new college graduate) The cat somehow got left behind. Anyway, the cat ruined our old rug and I did not want it to happen again. As far as I know she would just walk up to the fence, sniff it and walk away. But, a few times we have found her in the living room on the rug. My daughter-in-law sent me this little vido from youtube. Maybe our cat just needs to learn how to jump back over the fence before we get back home.

Recall on items made in China

First it was cat food, last week it was lead in toys, today the recall of toothpasts made in China was expanded and according to Mattel more toys are going to be recalled due to lead paint. I am beginnig to quesiton why standards are not being applied to imported items. Lead paint was banned years ago in the USA do to the fact that high lead levels can damage the developing brains of infants and young children. The FDA issued an alert on toothpaste due to a poisonous chemical, diethylene glycol (DEG) found in certain toothpaste and dental products produced in China. The FDA site lists the brands of toothpaste to avoid using. I did look at the site for any brands that might be in my house. The pictured brand on the this blog is toothpaste provided in a hotel room for guests. When traveling please check to make sure you are no brushing with DEG.

The Seven Worst Ways to Eat

We are a culture fixated on eating. I have found that if I count the calories I actually eat I do a lot better with maintaining my weight. I must confess that my genetic background combined with my mom feeding us fruits and vegetables and home cooked meals tends to help. (I have 4 brothers and 2 sisters and no one is overweight.) Desert was never a part of the meal. I tend to cook at home and keep reasonably healthy foods in the pantry. I do look at a web site called nutritious junk to look up the calories and nutritional value of packaged foods. (When I start back to work in a few weeks I am sure I will resort to more packaged foods.) I remember as a kid sitting around the big table with all of us eating and talking. We almost never sat in front of the TV eating. An article from Newsweek talks about how where you eat can play a major role in you weight and digestive well-being. I have heard some funny little misnomers about eating:
If you eat standing up the calories will no stick.
If you take a bite off another persons plate it does not count.
If you eat in the dark the calories that you cannot see do not count.
The little pieces of cookie or donut you break off and eat while at work do not count.

Of course we all know none of this is true. When the kids were growing up we always ate dinner at the kitchen table. I have made an effort to keep this up with just my husband and I. (Put a little candle and cut flowers on the table to increase the ambiance.) We almost never eat in front of the TV. I am a slow eater so I am always the last one done eating. If you do go to a restaurant you do not have to eat everything set down in front of you. Even in the best of restaurants do not be afraid to ask for a bag-to-go. (My daughter and I split a crab cake appetizer last night and she took her left-over chicken for her lunch today.)It is the calories that we do not count that add up the most. As I go through the day denying myself (not having the donut while I have my nails done, ignoring the chocolate cake offered at the hair salon, and taking my non-fat latter with no sugar) I wonder why the calories I do not eat all day don't add up to a negative intake.

Dow Sees 2nd worst day of 2007!
I for one try not to panic over the stock market, but as a boomer I do might not have the luxury of waiting 20 years for an adjustment. When I cliked on the CNN money report for today and saw the graph of todays plunge,I decided to look at the graph for the year to date not just one day, and my heart did settle a bit. When we moved into our house 27 years ago I remember paying 12 3/4 % interest. We had one child and were expecting a second and were living in a 900 square foot house. We stretched our budget to buy a 2,000 square foot bungalo on an oversized lot in a good school district. Flash forward 27 years and the property has dramatically increased in value (3 remodels and an addition of 1,000 square feet has helped a bit). My husband just patted me on the head as he walked by: Have you seen what the market did today? Of course, but the positive me said: It will come back, just a little down day but our portfolio looks better than it did a year ago. So, I am not ready to stick my money under the mattress, but I will not be quitting my day job anytime soon.

How safe are our bridges?

I do believe that the less the government is involved in my life the better. I do believe their major job should be the safety of roads and bridges. This week I watched in horror as the bridge collapsed in Minnesota during rush hour. I have also followed the Big Dig disaster in Boston. I remember sitting in Boston traffic for over 4 hours due to a detour around the building of the underground thorough fair through the city. According to WCBC Boston the glue company was indicted in the deadly Big Dig collapse. 20 anchors that were holding the concrete ceiling panels in place were secured with short-term strength glue. If a tunnel build in the last few years is failing how can we trust that bridges and roads are safe, especially those who were build years ago. When I was a young child I remember going over the bridge from Detroit to Canada. I was never a real bridge person. (I have this occasional nightmare that I am on the bridge to nowhere.) The other option was going into the tunnel that connected the two countries but I was even more fearful the the millions of gallons of water that could pour in at any moment. So a note to Big Government: Keep our roads, bridges and tunnels safe so we don't see further bridge failures. I am going to Minnesota next week and I am a little nervous about going over a bridge.

Google Maps Street View

This weekend we used Google Satellite View on my husbands new IPhone. We were visiting with friends and had a good laugh showing them their cottage from a satellite view. I joked with my friend about having him stand out in front of the cottage and waving so we could actually see him. Little did we know that in a few days that would be a reality with Google Maps Street View. I would have to say that I like my GPS better for travel. I like when the device talks to me. While traveling through Germany, while the guiding hand of (Heidi) our GPS navigated us through unfamiliar roads, I often thought: How does she the GPS know where we are? Is big brother watching our every move? We fight for our privacy but our life is filled with little devices that seem to be able to tract us. I just recently learned how to use the GPS and now since my husband has is new toy, the IPhone, Heidi will now be installed in my car.

I went on Youtube and of course there was a video (with over 5 million hits) demonstrating the use of Google Maps Street View.

"red hot rings of death"

This is the term used to described the Xbox 360. Apparently up to 25% of these boxes can fail due to emitting to much heat. According to an article in the LA times today "Cool electronic gear may be emitting too much heat. Temperatures are rising and electronic gadgets are failing as more and more power is crammed into less space. Games consoles digital video recorders, cable boxes are throwing off tremendous amounts of heat." I guess now I need to install a huge fan in my newly remodeled family room to cool down my new toys. To say that high tech has not invaded my life would be and understatement. At this very moment I am with my husband and two of our very best friends at their lake front up in northern California. My husband is playing with his new Iphone, my friends are both on their computers and of course I am blogging. Just like the younger generation I went on-line to view the newspaper. So when you are setting up new living areas, no only do you need to add new plug sites (which we did in our remodel) but you will need to add a giant fan to cool down all your high tech toys so you do not burn down your house. All the fans of Big Ideas this is your time to make your millions developing something to cool down high tech devices.

Business section Los Angeles Times:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-heat4aug04,0,1530196.story?coll=la-home-center

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini





"His new novel is A Thousand Splendid Suns, a title that comes from a 17th-century poem — an ode to the city of Kabul. In it, Hosseini tells the story of two girls who grow close as women — unlikely friends who are brought together in the chaos of war. "
I so enjoyed his first book The Kite Runner. The book sat on my bookself for months before I picked it up and read it non stop. I am off for a few days of R & R and will not be taking my computer. I have not read a novel all summer and need a little respite from writing.







Interview with author Khaled Hosseine from NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10302277


Previous book: The Kite Runner - Interview with author: http://www.newsline.com.pk/newsnov2003/newsbeat4nov.htm